Xerographic developer

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on an imaging surface, including: a housing defining a reservoir storing a supply of developer material comprising toner; a donor member positioned in the housing, spaced from the imaging surface, for transporting toner on an outer surface of the donor member to a region opposed from the imaging surface, a print quality system for monitoring a plurality of xerographic actuator parameters, the print quality system generating a feedback signal if at least one of a plurality of xerographic actuator parameters is beyond a predefined threshold limit; and system for translating the donor member from a first predefined spacing to a second predefined spacing from the imaging surface in response to the feedback signal from the print quality system.

1. An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on an imaging surface, comprising:
 a housing defining a reservoir storing a supply of developer material comprising toner; 
 a donor member positioned in said housing, spaced from the imaging surface, for transporting toner on an outer surface of said donor member to a region opposed from the imaging surface, 
 a print quality system for monitoring a plurality of xerographic actuator parameters, said print quality system generating a feedback signal if at least one of a plurality of xerographic actuator parameters is beyond a predefined threshold limit; and 
 means for translating said donor member from a first predefined spacing to a second predefined spacing from the imaging surface in response to said feedback signal from said print quality system, said donor member is translated in increments of 0.02 mm. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said translating means includes a mounting assembly attached to said housing, said mounting assembly being adapted to translate said housing to thereby position said donor member from said first predefined spacing to said second predefined spacing from the imaging surface. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller, in communication with said print quality system, for controlling the amount of translation of said translating means in responsive to said feedback signal. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said sensing means senses a first DMA of an inboard portion of said imaging surface and senses a second DMA of an outboard portion of said imaging surface, said sensing means generates inboard feedback signal associated with DMA of said inboard portion of said imaging surface and generates inboard feedback signal associated with DMA of said outboard portion of said imaging surface. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said mounting assembly is adapted to translate an inboard portion of said donor member independent from an outboard portion of said donor member in response to a control signal from said controller. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said mounting assembly includes at least one lead screw; and a motor coupled to said lead screw so that rotation of said lead screw moves said donor member from said first predefined spacing to said second predefined spacing from the imaging surface. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said print quality system includes:
 means for recording a test patch on the imaging surface; and 
 means for sensing the DMA of said test patch, said sensing means generating said feedback signal if said measured DMA is beyond a predefined DMA threshold level. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said print quality system further includes means for determining the toner concentration of said housing, said determining means generating said feedback signal if said measured TC is beyond a predefined TC threshold level. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said print quality system further includes means for measuring the development voltage potential, said measuring means generating said feedback signal if said measured development voltage potential is beyond a predefined development voltage potential threshold level. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said donor member and imaging surface are spaced between 0.1 and 0.5 mm.